1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to envelopes, and in particular to an envelope for hanging on a doorknob or a door handle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In commercial transactions, the providers of goods and services often find it more efficient in communicating with their customers to utilize delivery means other than the U.S. Postal Service. For example, invoices and the like are frequently attached to goods to which they pertain whereby the customer is presented with a bill upon receipt of the goods. The prior art includes envelopes specifically designed for this purpose, as exemplified by the Schwartz U.S. Pat. No. 1,969,428 which shows an envelope forming an opening for placement over the neck of a milk bottle.
Envelopes and other items have also heretofore been devised for hanging on doorknobs. Such devices, sometimes called doorknob hangers, are particularly well suited for non-mail delivery to customers because some type of knob can be found on the front door of almost every residence and because non-mail items are prohibited from placement in mail boxes. Items placed on a customer's front door are unlikely to be disregarded or overlooked since the doorknob must generally be manipulated in order to obtain ingress or egress. The probability of receipt of such materials is further increased by the fact that they are displayed in plain view and within easy reach of a person using the front door. Hanging materials on doorknobs is regarded as an effective alternative to conventional mail delivery.
Entities which must provide materials to a relatively high percentage of dwelling units in their particular trade areas may find such door-to-door deliveries much more cost effective than mailings. For example, newspapers and utilities with relatively high percentages of subscribers in their trade areas may find hand delivery of their bills more efficient.
The Wilcox U.S. Pat. No. 1,984,559 shows an envelope with an opening adapted to receive a doorknob or, alternatively, the neck of a milk bottle. The Howell U.S. Pat. No. 2,305,426 discloses a hanger with a doorknob opening and a tongue adapted for attachment to an item such as an envelope.
Bags with doorknob openings are exemplified in the Meikle U.S. Pat. No. 1,671,775 and the Bumgarner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,299 patents. The Townsend U.S. Pat. No. 1,529,381 discloses an envelope with an opening having slits radiating therefrom and adapted to receive a doorknob.
A problem with many prior art devices for hanging on doorknobs, including the aforementioned, is that they are specifically designed for placement over conventional doorknobs with enlarged outer knob portions connected to doors by smaller-diameter shafts. The hanging device openings receive the smaller diameter shafts whereby the devices are retained in place by the enlarged knob portions. Such devices are often unsuitable for attachment to door handles such as those typically found on storm and screen doors. In recent years rising energy costs have resulted in the installation of large numbers of storm doors. Many storm and screen doors are locked at various times and thus prevent access to the conventional doorknobs on the front doors of dwelling units or other structures.
Heretofore, there has not been available an envelope with a hanger attachement compatible with door handles as well as conventional doorknobs with the particular features and advantages of the present invention.